Power-operated semiautomatic pin setting machine



M. H. WRIGHT Aug. 28, 1951 Aug. 28, 1951 M. H. WRIGHT 2,565,834

POWER OPERATED SEMIAUTOMATIC PIN SETTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 17, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 M. H. WRIGHT 2,565,834 I POWER OPERATED SEMIAUTOMATIC FIN SETTING MACHINE Aug. 28, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 17, 1949 gme/rvtw Mi lion H. Wnlqh fi Aug. 28, 195] M. H. WRIGHT POWER OPERATED SEMIAUTOMATIC PIN SETTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 17, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR MILTON H. WRIGHT ATTORNEY Patehted Aug. 28, 1951 POWER -OPERATED SEMIAUTOMATIC PIN SETTING MACHINE Milton H. Wright, Smethport, Pa., assignor to Holmes & Gilfillan, Smethport, Pa., a partnership Application January 17, 1949, Serial No. 71,298

19 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to pin setting machines for bowling alleys, of the type wherein the pins are manually placed upon a pin setting platform by the pin boy, and in which the platform is lowered upon the bowling alley to upright the pins and to set them on the alley. In such machines, the platform is then raised to the original, pin receiving position leaving the pins behind in accurately spotted position upon the alley. The invention constitutes improvements upon pin setting machines of the kind shown in the prior patent to Ball, No. 2,221,697, November 12, 1940, and in the earlier patents to Backus, Nos. 771,963, October 11, 1904, and 809,890, January 9, 1906.

The machines of the prior patents were manually operated, in that handle mechanisms were provided for lowering the pin receiving platforms, against the force of counterbalancing weights or springs. The physical effort by the pin boys required to lower and raise the platforms, resulted in fatigue. Moreover, the force with which the platforms were lowered varied according to the action of the operator, with the result that the pins occasionally were not properly set, or the machine was damaged, by too violent operations.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide power means for lowering and raising the pin setting platform, to the end that the operation will be accomplished more rapidly, at a uniform rate, avoiding damage to the machine and very substantially reducing the physical work of the pin boy.

Another object of the invention is to provide a semi-automatic pin setting machine, in which, after the pins have been placed manually upon the pin setting platform, the operator simply presses a button, whereupon the machine automatically goes through its cycle of operation, lowering the platform, depositing the pins and returning to the initial starting position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine which, in the above mentioned cycle of operations, will provide a dwell or time delay at the lower limit of movement of the platform, while the platform is supported upon the alley, to permit the pins to be uprighted and deposited upon the alley in a steady, non-rocking position, prior. to the upward movement of the platform to the starting position.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for automatically stopping the cycle of operation at the end thereof. In addition, the invention provides manual control means for stopping the movement of the platform at any vides a simple apparatus which may be applied to existing machines, to convert them from manually operated machines to power actuated machines.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown, for purposes of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure l is a perspective view of the machine,

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the upper portion of the machine of Figure 1, with the enclosing casings or housings removed,

Figure 3 is a plan view of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a horizontal section, taken on line 44 of Figure 2 and showing the crank mechanism in a plurality of positions,

Figure 5 is a plan view and partial horizontal section, on an enlarged scale, of a pulley and its pivotally mounted supporting bracket,

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Figure 5,

Figure '7 is a vertical section and elevation, taken substantially on line 'l-'l of Figure 4, showing a motor control switch and its actuating means,

Figure 8 is a circuit diagram for the electric motor,

Figure 9 is a detail of a spring support and slack take-up device,

Figure 10 is a view corresponding to Figure 4, showing a modification; and

Figure 11 is a circuit diagram used with the modification of Figure 10.

Reference is made to the above identified patents for a detailed disclosure of the pin setting platform indicated generally at I0 in Figure 1, and of the guiding means I I, slidably mounted in uprights l2 and 13, the latter constituting parts of a stationary frame, supported from the kickbacks M by brackets l5, and including an overhead bridge l6 (Figure 2); The frame may be hidden by shield plates l8, l9, as explained in the Ball patent, and suitable shields or housings 20 and 2| may be provided, to enclose the mechanisms which constitute the improvements of the present invention.

It will be understood, by reference to the above mentioned patents, that the pin boy places the pins 22 upon the upper frame of the platform It), as shown in Figure 1; that the platform is lowered into contact with the alley, whereupon a number of parallel links raise the upper frame of the platform relative to the lower frame thereof (not shown), to upright the pins, whereupon the pins drop through appropriate openings, into contact with appropriate guides and are set upon the alley; and that the platform is then raised to the upper, pin receiving position, as shown in Figure 1.

Referring to Figures 2 and '3, the overhead bridge of the stationary frame consists of parallel angle irons lGa and lfib, having inwardly projecting lower flanges. Upon these flanges, there is bolted a transversely extending plate 25, from which a supplemental frame is hung, comprising corner uprights 26, lower horizontal front and rear members 21 and 28, and end members 29 and 30, arranged in rectangular relation. A central plate 3|, spanning the space between the transverse members 21 and 23 supports a bearing 32, in vertical alignment with a similar bearing 33 carried by the plate 25. Projecting upwardly from the plate is a bracket 34, having upwardly and angularly disposed legs 35, 3B, 31, bent laterally at their upper ends and joined together at point 38, where a bearing 39 is positioned, in alignment with the bearings 32 and 33. Another bearing 40 is welded or otherwise secured to the undersurface of the upper portion of the bracket.

An electric motor 4|, bolted to the upper surface of the plate 25 is connected through a separable coupling 42 to a, speed reducer 43, having its driven shaft 44 journalled in the bearing :20. A spur gear 45, on the shaft 54 meshes with a large gear 46, fast on a crank-shaft extension 41, journalled at its upper end in the bearing 39 and connected to a stub crank-shaft 48, by a coupling 49. A double armed crank, disposed below the plate 25, is connected to stub-shaft 48. As

shown, the crank includes an upper arm 58, connected by a crank pin to an intermediate arm 52, extending from the pin 5| beyond the axis of crank-shaft 48 in the opposite direction, to a crank pin 53, and a lower arm 54 extending inwardly to the axis of shaft 48, where it is journalled, by a stub crank-shaft in bearing 32. Thus, the crank, having diametrically oppositely extending arms, is journalled for rotation on a vertical axis with the arms swinging in horizontal planes.

Around the crank pins 5| and 53 are sleeves or collars 5'6, 51, to which are attached flexible strands 58 and 59, which may take the form of V-belts or the like. When the parts are in the normal, inactive or rest position, as shown in Figure 2, each belt extends from the crank pin to which it is operatively connected, toward the upright member at the opposite side of the alley or toward the opposite end of the supplemental frame where it is trained about a pulley 60 or 6|. The strands are led downwardly and are operatively connected to the pin setting platform ID, by means hereinafter described.

' The pulleys 60 and 6| are journalled for rotation on horizontal axes in brackets 62 and 63, pivoted for swinging movement on vertical axes, as best shown in Figures 5 and 6. The bracket 63 may consist of a plate bent to U-shape in plan, having parallel wings 64 and 65, between which the pulley 8| is journalled, with the bent portion of the plate welded to a sleeve 66, fast,

" platform may take various forms, but the one shown in Figure 9 has proved satisfactory in use. This device comprises a coil compression spring 1|, an upper member 12 extending downwardly through the spring, having a seat 13 at its lower end engaging the bottom of the spring and a hooked upper end 14, and a lower member 15 projecting upwardly through the spring, having a seat 16 at its upper end engaging the top of the compression spring and a looped lower end 11. The upper end 14 of the device is connected by a suitable clamp 18 (Figure 1) in the desired position of vertical adjustment to the strand 59 or 58. The weight of the platform partially compresses the springs 1|, until the platform engages the surface of the alley, whereupon the springs expand, taking up slack in the strands. This action occurs as the crank arms move past the adjacent pulleys, throughout a portion of their rotary motion, substantially midway in their circular path of movement. This provides a dwell in the movement of the platform at the bottom of its travel, while the platform is supported on the alley.

Referring to Figures 2, 4 and '1, a switch supporting bracket 89, secured to the supplemental frame members 21 and 28, carries a normally closed micro-switch 8| having an operating button 82, adapted to be depressed, to open the switch, by a roller 83 carried by an upwardly spring-pressed, pivoted arm 84. The roller is in the path of movement of the lower crank arm 5 so that, when the arm reaches the position overlying the roller, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, in alignment with the pulleys '68 and BI, the circuit is opened and the motor is stopped, with the platform It in the raised position.

Referring to Figure 8, a normally open push button switch 85 is connected to shunt out the switch 8|, when the latter is open. Hence, by closing switch 85, current may flow from L-I, through the normally closed push button switch 86, line 81, switch 85, lines 88 and 89 to the motor, for return through line 90 to LZ. motor is operated and the crank rotated. After a fraction of a second, the crank arm 54 disengages the roller 83, whereupon switch 8| is closed and switch 85 may be released, current being delivered to the motor through switch 8| instead of switch 85.

Switch 86 is a push button stop switch, in the motor circuit which, when opened, interrupts the supply of current and stops the motor. The switches 85 and 86 may be positioned in the rear face of a box 9| (Figure 1) for convenient access by the pin boy.

It is thought that the operation of the apparatus in accordance with the present invention will be clear from a consideration of the foregoing description, taken in connection with the. accompanying drawings. After the pins 22 have Thus, the

been positioned upon the platform, the pinboy momentarily presses the start button switch 85 with the result that the rotation of the crank starts and the switch 8| closes, continuing the supply of current to the motor. As the crank pins 5| and 53 rotate, for instance in a clockwise direction toward the position a, indicated in dotted lines in Figure 4, the strands run downwardly through the pulleys, thereby lowering the platform. The pulleys swing horizontally with their brackets, to maintain themselves in align ment with the crank pins. As the rotation continues, the cranks approach the pulleys and the platform is supported upon the alley, with the time delay or dwell, as previously explained, and the pins are uprighted and. set upon the alley. As the crank continues its rotation through the next 180, it goes through a position indicated at'b in Figure 4, drawing the strands upwardly over the pulleys and raising the platform. When the arm 54 reaches its starting position, it depresses the roller 83 and opens switch 8|, thereby deenergizing the motor and stopping the machine, leaving it ready for another cycle of operations.

In some cases it has been found desirable to provide a dwell in the movement of the pin setting platform, adjacent the bottom of its path of movement, for a longer period of time than can be conveniently effected by the slack or the spring take-up devices in the platform support- 7 ing strands. Such a dwell can be provided, by interposing in the motor control circuit, a time delay relay or switch, positioned to be actuated by the crank mechanism or by any other moving part associated with the apparatus, and arranged to open the motor circuit at a predetermined point in the cycle of movements of the platform,

for a predetermined, substantial period of time,

of the order of two seconds, for instance. .An arrangernent of this kind has the advantage that the platform may travel to the bottom of its path of movement, deposit the pins on the alley, then rise a few inches, and stop, thus steadying the pins upon the alley while they are still retained within the pin positioning pockets. After the platform has remained in this position for the desired length of time and the pins have stopped wobbling, the time delay switch is automatically closed, the motor is re-energized and the platform is raised to the top of its path of movement, where the motor is again deenergized, by the opening of the micro-switch, described above.

In Figures 10 and 11, a modified form of the invention, operating in accordance with the above, is shown. In Figure 10, the identical parts shown in Figures 2 and 4 are given the same reference characters, while in Figure 11, the circuit diagram parts corresponding to those shown in Figure 8 are given corresponding, primed numbers. A time delay relay switch 92 is interposed in the motor control circuit and a double throw, double pole micro-switch 93 is positioned to control its operation. Switch roller 94, is positioned slightly more than 180 behind the roller 83' in the path of movement of the lower crank arm 54, to be actuated thereby after said arm has travelled a few degrees more than 180 from the starting position. Line 89, leading from switches SI and is provided with three branches 89a, 89b, and 890. One blade 95 of switch 93, in the normal position of the switch delivers current through line 96 to the motor. When crank arm B l engages roller 94 however, and depresses blade 95, this flow of current is cut off and the motor stops. Simultaneously, the'other blade 91 ofswitch 93 is brought into contact with line 89b and delivers current through line 98 to the time delay relay switch 92, starting the clock motor thereof in operation. The other side of the clock motor circuit is connected to L2 by a line 99. After a predetermined time, for which the time delay relay switch is set, the main circuit thereof is closed, from the line 890 to line I00, connected to line 96 and to the Motor M.

Thus, when the arm 54 has travelled slightly more than and the platform has been lowered and raised a few inches, as explained above, the motor will be cut off for a few seconds. The motor circuit will be completed through the time delay relay, the arm 54 will move out of contact with the roller 94, the switch will automatically shift to the position shown in Figure 11 and tlf circuit will remain closed until the arm 54 again contacts the roller 83' associated with switch 8 I opening the circuit. The circuit will remain open until closed by the pushbutton switch 35 as previously explained.

Although the invention has been described with considerable particularity in this specification, it must be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction shown in the accompanying drawings and described above, but includes all the modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

I claim:

1. A bowling pin setting machine, comprising a stationary frame including spaced uprights and an overhead bridge, a pin setting platform guided for vertical movement between the uprights and arranged to set the pins upon an associated alley at the lower end of its travel, and power actuated means for lowering and raising said platform, said means comprising a crank supported by said bridge, a pair of pulleys adjacent the upper ends of the uprights, a pair of flexible strands trained over said pulleys connected at their lower ends to the platform and at their opposite ends to the crank, whereby movement of the crank from a starting position in alignment with the pulleys through one-half of a rotation lowers the platform and, through the other half in returning to the starting position, raises the platform, a motor for rotating the crank, and means for automatically stopping the crank after one complete rotation thereof, when the platform has reached its upper limit of movement, and when the crank has returned to the starting position.

2. A bowling pin setting machine comprising a stationary frame adapted to be positioned adjacent the pit end of an alley and including a pair of spaced uprights and an overhead bridge spanning the space therebetween, a pin setting platform guided for vertical movement between the uprights from an upper, normally stationary pin receiving position to set the pins upon the alley at the bottom of its travel and to return to the upper position, leaving the set pins behind; and power operated means for lowering and then raising said platform, said means comprising a crank supported by said bridge and having a pair of diametrically oppositely extending horizontal arms, projecting in the normal, stationary position toward said uprights, a pair of pulleys ad'acent the upper ends of the uprights, a pair of flexible strands, each trained over one pulley, extending downwardly therefrom, connected to the platform at its lower end, and connected at its opposite end to the crank arm remote from the associated pulley, a motor for rotating the crank and means for automatically stopping the crank after one complete revolution thereof.

3. A bowling pin setting machine comprising a stationary frame adapted to be positioned adjacent the pit end of an alley and including a pair of spaced uprights and an overhead bridge spanning the space therebetween, a pin setting platform guided for vertical movement between the uprights from an upper, pin receiving position to a lower, pin setting position, toset the pins upon the alley at the bottom of its travel and to return to the upper position, leaving the set pins behind; and power operated means for lowering and then raising said platform, said means comprising a crank supported by the bridge, journalled on a vertical axis and having diametrically oppositely extending arms projecting toward the uprights in the normal, rest position, a pair of pulleys adjacent the upper ends of the uprights, journalled on horizontal axes with their upper surfaces subs tan tially aligned with the ends of the remote crank arms when the latter are at said rest position, a pair of flexible strands, each trained over one pulley, operatively connected at its lower end to i the platform and at its opposite end to the remote crank arm which projects toward the opposite upright, a motor for rotating the crank, whereby the remote arms approach the pulleys over which the strands connected thereto are trained, to lower the platform, and then depart from said pulleys to raise the platform, and means for automatically stopping the rotation of the crank after one complete rotation thereof.

4. A bowling pin setting machine comprising a stationary frame adapted to be positioned adjacent the pit end of an alley and including a pair of spaced uprights and an overhead bridge spanning the space therebetween, a pin setting platform guided for vertical movement between the uprights from an upper, pin receiving position to a lower, pin setting position, to set the pins upon the alley at the bottom of its travel and to return to the upper position, leaving the set pins behind; and power operated means for lowering and then raising said platform, said means comprising upper and lower, vertically aligned bearings'supported by the bridge, a crank journalled in the bearings and including an upper arm pro jecting radially from the bearing axis, when in the rest position, in one direction toward one upright and a lower arm projecting in the opposite direction from said axis toward the other upright, a pair of pulleys, one adjacent the upper end of each upright and each pulley having its upper surface substantially in horizontal alignment with the remote crank arm, a pair of flexible strands, each connected at its lower end to the platform, trained over one of the pulleys and connected at its opposite end to the remote crank arm, an electric motor supported by the bridge, power transmission means for rotating the crank by the motor, and means for de-energizing the motor after the crank has made one complete rotation.

5. A bowling pin setting machine comprising a stationary frame adapted to be positioned adjacent the pit end of an alley and including a pair of spaced uprights and an overhead bridge spanning the space therebetween, a pin setting platform guided for vertical movement between the uprights from an upper, pin receiving position to a lower, pin setting position, to set the pins upon the alley at the bottom of its travel and to return to the upper position, leaving the set pins behind; and power operated means for lowering and then raising said platform, said means comprising upper and lower, vertically aligned bearings supported by the bridge, a crank journalled in the bearings and including an upper arm projecting radially from the bearing axis, when in the rest position, in one direction toward one upright and a lower arm projecting in the opposite direction from said axis toward the other upright, a pair of pulleys, one adjacent the upper end of each upright and each pulley having its upper surface substantially in horizontal alignment with the remote crank arm, a pair of flexible strands, each connected at its lower end to the platform, trained over one of the pulleys and connected at its opposite end to the remote crank arm, an electric motor supported by the bridge, power transmission means for rotating the crank by the motor, and means for de-energizing the motor after the crank has made one complete rotation, said means comprising a normally closed switch in the motor circuit and means in the path of movement of said crank for opening the same when the crank returns to its starting or resting position.

6. A pin setting machine in accordance with claim 3 characterized in that the strands are of sufficient effective length in relation to the throw of the crank and to the distance of the travel of the platform toward and from the alley to assure a dwell or time delay in the movement of the platform at the lower end of its travel while supported upon the alley.

'7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 characterized in that said strands are connected to the platform by linearly expansible spring tension devices, assuring lost motion between the movement of the platform and rotation of the crank at the bottom of the travel of the platform, while the latter is supported on the alley.

8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 characterized in that said pulleys are mounted in brackets pivoted on vertical axes, whereby the pulleys may swing and maintain their alignment with the crank arms during rotation thereof.

9. A bowling pin setting machine comprising a stationary frame adapted to be positioned adjacent the pit end of an alley and including a pair of spaced uprights and an overhead bridge spanning the space therebetween, a pin setting platform guided for vertical movement between the uprights from an upper, pin receiving position to a lower, pin setting position, to set the pins upon the alley at the bottom of its travel and to return to the'upper positions, leaving the set pins behind; and power operated means for lowering and then raising said platform, said means comprising a transversely extending upper plate carried by said bridge, a supplemental frame hung from the plate, upper and lower bearings disposed in vertical alignment and carried by the plate and supplemental frame, respectively, a crank journalled in the bearings having diametrically extending arms and being rotatable below the plate, crank pins at the ends of the arms, a pair of brackets adjacent the upper ends of the uprights mounted for swinging movement on vertical axes, pulleys carried by the brackets for rotation on a horizontal axes and having their upper surfaces aligned with the crank pins, a pair of flexible strands connected at their lower ends to the platform, each trained over one of said pulleys and connected at its opposite end to one of the crank pins, whereby, as the crank rotates, the strands run over the pulleys as the latter swing on their pivots and the platform is lowered and raised, a motor and speed reducer carried by said plate and connected to the crank to rotate the same, and means for stopping the rotation of the crank at the normal, starting position, after one complete rotation thereof, with the crank arms disposed in alignment with the pulleys.

10. A bowling pin setting machine comprising a stationary frame adapted to be positioned adjacent the pit end of an alley and including a pair of spaced uprights and an overhead bridge spanning the space therebetween, a'pin setting platform guided for vertical movement between the uprights from a normal, upper, pin receiving position to a lower, pin setting position, to set the pins upon the alley at the bottom of its travel and to return to the upper position, leaving the set pins behind; and power operated means for lowering and then raising said platform, said means comprising a transversely extending upper plate carried by said bridge, a supplemental frame hung from the plate, upper and lower bearings disposed in vertical alignment and carried by the plate and supplemental frame, respectively, a crank journalled in the bearings having diametrically extending arms and being rotatable below the plate, crank pins at the ends of the arms, a pair of brackets adjacent the upper ends of the uprights mounted for swinging movement on vertical axes, pulleys carried by the brackets for rotation on a horizontal axes and having their upper surfaces aligned with the crank pins, a pair of flexible strands connected at their lower ends to the platform, each trained over one of said pulleys and connected at its opposite end to one of the crank pins, whereby, as the crank rotates, the strands run over the pulleys as the latter swing on their pivots and the platform is lowered and raised, a motor and speed reducer carried by said plate and connected to the crank to rotate the same, and means for stopping the rotation of the crank after one complete rotation thereof, at the normal, starting position, with the crank arms disposed in alignment with the pulleys, said means comprising a normally closed micro-switch in the motor circuit, and means for automatically opening the switch when the crank arms reach said normal starting position.

11. Apparatus in accordance with claim 9 characterized in that the swinging mountings of said brackets are constituted by pivotal connections at their upper and lower ends to the plate and the supplemental frame, respectively.

12. Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 characterized in that the plate is removably connected to the bridge and in that the supplemental frame, the upper and lower bearings, the crank, the brackets, the pulleys, the motor and the speed reducer are all removable from the bridge as a unit with the plate.

13. A pin setting machine in accordance with claim 3, characterized in that the operative connection between each strand and the platform comprises a coil compression spring, an upper element connected to the strand, extending downwardly through the spring and engaging the lower end thereof, and a lower element connected to the platform, extending upwardly through the spring and engaging the upper end thereof, whereby the weight of the platform compresses the spring and the spring takes up slack when the platform is supported by the alley,

thereby providing a dwell in the movement of the platform when supported by the alley, to permit steady setting of the pins.

14. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 having associated therewith a circuit for said motor, said circuit including a normally closed stop switch to interrupt the flow of current at any time when opened, a normally open starting switch to deliver current when manually closed, and a normally closed micro-switch; and in which the means for automatically stopping the crank comprises means actuated by the crank for opening the micro-switch to stop the motor in a predetermined position of the crank.

15. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2, including a control circuit for the motor, comprising a normally open, manually closable starting switch for delivering current to the motor, and a normally closed switch; and in which the means for automatically stopping the crank comprises a member for opening the switch, disposed in the path of movement of the crank, to be actuated when the crank reaches a predetermined position.

16. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 characterized by the inclusion of means for arresting, for a predetermined, substantial period of time, the movement of the platform adjacent the bottom of its travel, after the pins engage the alley and are released from the platform to permit the pins to become steady on the alley, before resumption of upward movement of the platform.

17. Apparatus in accordance with claim. 16 characterized in that said arresting means is timed to operate after the platform has reached its lower limit of movement and has started its upward movement, but before the platform has departed from the pins.

18. A bowling pin setting machine comprising a stationary frame including spaced uprights and an overhead bridge, a pin setting platform guided for vertical movement between the uprights and arranged to set the pins upon an associated alley at the lower end of its travel,

an electric motor, means actuated thereby for lowering and raising said platform, a circuit for delivering current to the motor, a switch. in the circuit for automatically de-energizing the motor at the upper limit of movement of the platform, and a time delay switch in said circuit for automatically de-energizing, for a predetermined, substantial period of time, the motor when the platform is adjacent the lower limit of movement to permit the pins to become steady on the alley before resumption of upward movement of the platform.

19. Apparatus in accordance with claim 18 in which the means for opening the time delay switch is actuated after the platform has reached its lower limit of movement and has started its upward movement, but before the platform has departed from the pins.

MILTON H. WRIGHT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,181,649 Downey May 2, 1916 1,712,186 White May 7, 1929 

